Mbandaka weather in December

In December, Mbandaka sees average daytime highs of 30°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 120 mm of rain across 20.1 wet days and about 12 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 9% of the time in December, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 hours at the start of December to 12 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Mbandaka's 5th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Mbandaka's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
5th warmest
Overnight low
23°
7th coldest
Rainfall
120 mm
20.1 wet days
Daylight
12 hours
5:43 AM – 5:43 PM
Cloud cover
74%
5th clearest
Wind
5 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
5.08 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.6
out of 10

Mbandaka is is a port city in the Equateur Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo,.

Density
989/km²
people per km²
Founded
1883

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°C through the month.

A typical December day in Mbandaka reaches about 30°C in the afternoon and slips back to 23°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs on par with November and on par with January.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13023
23023
33023
43023
53023
63023
73023
83023
93023
103023
113023
123023
133023
143023
153023
163023
173023
183023
193023
203023
213023
223123
233123
243123
253123
263123
273123
283123
293123
303123
313123

How December really feels in Mbandaka

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 31 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
31
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in December is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Mbandaka weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 5th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan31° / 23°8915.2123.8
Feb31° / 23°12015.9123.4
Mar31° / 23°15621.6123.1
Apr31° / 23°15923.1123.1
May30° / 23°12822.4123.4
Jun30° / 23°9217.4124.2
Jul29° / 23°9418.1124.3
Aug29° / 23°15523.5123.7
Sep29° / 23°18926.2123.2
Oct29° / 23°20526.7123.2
Nov30° / 23°18224.9123.2
Dec30° / 23°12020.1123.6

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 9% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 72%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12674
22674
32773
42773
52773
62773
72872
82872
92773
102773
112872
122872
132872
142872
152872
162872
172773
182872
192872
202872
212773
222773
232773
242773
252773
262773
272773
282773
292872
302773
312872

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Mbandaka gets around 120 mm of rain over 20.1 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 64% and peaks near 77% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
177
277
377
476
576
675
774
873
972
1071
1170
1269
1368
1467
1566
1664
1763
1862
1961
2060
2159
2258
2356
2455
2554
2653
2752
2851
2951
3050
3149

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of December feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, December lands in the oppressive band about 93% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
100973
200973
300973
400973
500973
600973
701963
801963
901963
1001963
1102953
1202953
1302953
1402944
1503934
1603934
1703934
1803934
1903925
2003925
2104915
2204915
2304915
2404915
2504915
2604915
2715895
2815886
2916876
3016876
3117866

Wind in December

Winds average 5 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 4 km/h on the calmest days to 5 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
14calm
24calm
34calm
44calm
54calm
64calm
74calm
84calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 hours at the start of December to 12 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 0 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 5:37 AM to 5:50 AM, and sunset from 5:37 PM to 5:50 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.05:375:37
212.05:375:37
312.05:385:37
412.05:385:38
512.05:385:38
612.05:395:39
712.05:395:39
812.05:405:39
912.05:405:40
1012.05:405:40
1112.05:415:41
1212.05:415:41
1312.05:425:42
1412.05:425:42
1512.05:435:43
1612.05:435:43
1712.05:445:44
1812.05:445:44
1912.05:455:44
2012.05:455:45
2112.05:465:45
2212.05:465:46
2312.05:465:46
2412.05:475:47
2512.05:475:47
2612.05:485:48
2712.05:485:48
2812.05:495:49
2912.05:495:49
3012.05:505:50
3112.05:505:50

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 5.08 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.81 kWh/m² to a high of 5.47 kWh/m² in February across the year — December's 5.08 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.0Bright
25.0Bright
35.0Bright
45.0Bright
55.0Bright
65.0Bright
75.0Bright
85.0Bright
95.0Bright
105.0Bright
115.1Bright
125.1Bright
135.1Bright
145.1Bright
155.1Bright
165.1Bright
175.1Bright
185.1Bright
195.1Bright
205.1Bright
215.1Bright
225.2Bright
235.2Bright
245.2Bright
255.2Bright
265.2Bright
275.2Bright
285.2Bright
295.2Bright
305.2Bright
315.2Bright
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Mbandaka?

Our two travel scores rate December for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

3.6
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
5.1
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Mbandaka.

What to pack for Mbandaka in December

From December's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In December, Mbandaka sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 23°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 20 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Mbandaka in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Mbandaka peaks around March 18 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 at about 8 (very high).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeVery highMar 18UV 13Jun 23UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb13Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr13Extreme
May10Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug10Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov9Very high
Dec9Very high

Air quality in Mbandaka in December

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where December falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Mbandaka is worst in February — around 39 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 3.7× the cleanest month (October, 10 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateModerateModerateFeb 1537 µg/m³Oct 1611 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan30Moderate
Feb39Poor
Mar29Moderate
Apr20Moderate
May19Moderate
Jun28Moderate
Jul36Poor
Aug31Moderate
Sep15Moderate
Oct10Good
Nov15Moderate
Dec24Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Mbandaka?

Mbandaka sits at 0.0°N, 18.3°E, 315 m above sea level, in Democratic Republic of the Congo. The nearest listed city is Bolenge, 7.0 km away.

ImpfondoMossakaBasankusuInongoPokolaOwandoOyo

Topography around Mbandaka

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Mbandaka.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Mbandaka has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 28 m around an average of 310 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 40 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 83 m.

The land around Mbandaka is covered by artificial surfaces (42%) and trees (30%) within 3 km, trees (75%) within 16 km, and trees (93%) within 80 km.

3 km
28 m
16 km
40 m
80 km
83 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
December weather nearby: Bolenge 7.0 km · Impfondo 176 km · Mossaka 215 km · Basankusu 215 km · Inongo 220 km · Pokola 263 km · Owando 269 km · Oyo 288 km

Democratic Republic of the Congo travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 4
Do Not Travel
Power plugs
Type C / E
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 42% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$807
2025
Happiness
3.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
12%
of population, 2024
Road deaths
34.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Low
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 400

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Mbandaka (0.0486°, 18.2603°, elevation 315 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).